Featured: "Abenaki" Loafers

As a longtime sneaker collector and footwear connoisseur, Ronnie Fieg has been making waves in the shoe industry for years. His collaboration with Sebago is finally available at Zappos.com with the “Abenaki” collection. Inspired by the classic moccasin, the Abenaki loafer and boot are perfectly on point for summer and transition right into fall. Get yours now before they're history!

Gather round, shoe terminology students. It is once again time for another lesson from the shoe encyclopedia. From the last lesson, you learned about the Louis heel (named after a famous king), the kitten heel, the plug of the moccasin and the heavy brogan. If you missed last week’s lesson (or any others), don’t forget to go back through and learn them. This shoe encyclopedia lesson focuses on the quarter, the shank, the crampon and the top lift

Quarter
When it comes to shoes, the quarter is not a coin. The quarter actually is the part of the shoe that covers the sides and back of the foot. Sometimes it consists of one whole piece of material, and other times, it is split into sections that are sewn together or held together by zippers or glue. The quarter is located on virtually every shoe. Therefore, styles and variety can vary significantly.

Shank
Sometimes the term shank can refer to a portion of ham but, luckily, not when referring to shoes. In a shoe, the shank is the portion that extends from the heel to the outsole. It gives structure to the shoe, as well as providing support to the arch of the foot. A shank can come in many different styles. All shoes have a shank.

Crampon
The crampon is often used in mountain and glacier climbing sports . These heavy-duty climbing devices clamp onto mountain boots and are used to trek through thick ice and snow. The metal spikes offer a strong grip. One type is made for trekking through snow and ice located on mountains and glaciers. The other type is made for ice climbing up steep vertical ice (or ice covered) structures.

Top Lift
The top lift, contrary to what it first sounds like, is actually located on the bottom of the shoe. It is the bottom portion of the shoe heel. The top lift supports and balances the shoe. The top lift can be thick, like in a platform shoe, but can also be very thin, like in a stiletto heel. Sizes can vary, depending on the shoe.

Hello again, students of the shoe encyclopedia class. Already those of you who have been keeping up have learned so much. For those of you new to the shoe encyclopedia (or a touch behind), don’t forget to go back and study the previous lessons to get up to speed. In case your memory on the encyclopedia of shoes needs some jogging, the last lesson included information on RadianTex, waterproofing silicone, thermoplastic rubber and thermoplastic urethane. This time around, the shoe encyclopedia will teach you about two types of heels (the Louis heel and the kitten heel). It also will school you on the plug, as well as the brogan.

Louis Heel
The Louis heel is a high-heeled shoe that features fancy curves on the back and sides of the heel. The curve looks similar to an hourglass shape. The original Louis heel was worn by Louis XV, the inspiration for the name and style. However, today Louis heels are more commonly worn by women.

Kitten Heel
A heel that is low to the ground and tapers off into a narrow base is known as a kitten heel. These are featured in women’s heels. A kitten heel can be found in both casual shoes and dressy styles. Shoes that feature a kitten heel could be sandals, strappy shoes, slide-ons, open-toed or closed. A variety of styles can feature a kitten heel.

Plug
Plug? Are we talking plumbing, like sinks and tubs? Nope, we’re still on shoes. In shoe terms, a plug is not related to stopping a drain, thank goodness. Although, that certainly would make for an interesting pair of shoes. I just can’t figure out what the plug would hold in – hopefully not water. No, in shoe terms, a plug refers to the center of the upper area in a moccasin.

Brogan
Also known as the brogue or the clodhopper, a brogan is a heavy shoe that is very thick. Brogan shoes can come in a wide variety of styles, ranging from tennis shoes to heels and even boots. Many heavier shoes are considered to be brogan shoes.